Universal tipping rod holder for ice fishing

Abstract

A tipping rod and reel holder comprises an upright support with a rod and reel holder member slidably secured thereto. The rod and reel holder member includes a closed, linear, fulcrum slot with a fastener slidably fastening it to the upright support. The rod and reel holder member accepts the handle of a fishing rod therein, with the shank of the fishing reel positioned in an L-shaped slot in the holder member. The rod and reel holder member with a fishing rod and reel therein is slidably positioned on the fastener to maintain the fishing rod and reel essentially horizontal. A fish pulling on the line pivots the rod and reel holder member with rod and reel therein on the fastener, causing the rod and reel to slide within the L-shaped slot, further pivoting the rod and reel holder member away from horizontal to indicate a bite.

I claim: 
     
       1. A tipping rod and reel holder adapted for ice fishing comprising:
 an upright support; 
 a rod and reel holder member slidably secured to the upright support, the rod and reel holder member including a linear, U-shaped body having an open top, open ends and opposed sidewalls with sidewall top edges extending between the open ends; 
 a first opposed sidewall having a closed, linear, fulcrum slot extending parallel with the top edge thereof, with a fastener extending through the closed, linear, fulcrum slot from interior the U-shaped body to slidably fasten the rod and reel holder member to the upright support; and 
 an L-shaped slot in a second opposed sidewall of the rod and reel holder member; 
 whereby the rod and reel holder member is sized to accept a handle of a fishing rod therein, and with a shank of a fishing reel secured to the fishing rod, the shank positioned in the L-shaped slot; 
 whereby the rod and reel holder member with a fishing rod and reel therein is slidably positioned on the fastener secured to the upright support to maintain the fishing rod and reel essentially horizontal; 
 and whereby a fish pulling on the line of the fishing rod and reel pivots the rod and reel holder member with rod and reel therein on the fastener in the fulcrum slot, thus causing the rod reel to slide within the L-shaped slot, thereby further pivoting the rod and reel holder member to indicate a bite. 
 
     
     
       2. The tipping rod and reel holder adapted for ice fishing of  claim 1 , wherein the L-shaped slot in the rod and reel holder member is positioned in the second opposed sidewall of the U-shaped body, one leg of the L-shaped slot intersects the top edge of the second opposed sidewall and extending downward therefrom, and the other leg of the L-shaped slot extending parallel with the top edge of the second opposed sidewall. 
     
     
       3. The tipping rod and reel holder adapted for ice fishing of  claim 1 , further including a signal member attached to the U-shaped body of the rod and reel holder to signal a fish bite. 
     
     
       4. The tipping rod and reel holder adapted for ice fishing of  claim 3 , wherein the signal member is a flag. 
     
     
       5. The tipping rod and reel holder adapted for ice fishing of  claim 3 , wherein the signal member is a light device activated upon pivoting from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation. 
     
     
       6. A tipping rod and reel holder adapted for ice fishing comprising:
 a base section secured to an upright support section; 
 a rod and reel holder member slidably secured to the upright support section, the rod and reel holder member including a linear, U-shaped body having an open top, open ends and opposed sidewalls with sidewall top edges extending between the open ends; 
 a first opposed sidewall having a closed, linear, fulcrum slot extending parallel with the top edge thereof; 
 a fastener extending from interior the U-shaped body through the closed, linear, fulcrum slot to slidably fasten the U-shaped body to the upright support section; and 
 an L-shaped slot in the second opposed sidewall of the U-shaped body, one leg of the L-shaped slot intersects the top edge of the second opposed sidewall and extending downward therefrom, and the other leg of the L-shaped slot extending parallel with the top edge of the second opposed sidewall; 
 whereby the linear, U-shaped body is sized to accept a handle of a fishing rod therein with the handle parallel with the top edges of the opposed sidewalls, and with a shank of a fishing reel secured to the fishing rod, the shank positioned in the L-shaped slot; 
 whereby the linear, U-shaped body with fishing rod and reel therein is slidably positioned on the fastener secured to the support section to maintain the fishing rod and reel essentially horizontal; 
 and whereby a fish pulling on the line of the fishing rod and reel pivots the U-shaped body with rod and reel therein on the fastener in the fulcrum slot, thus causing the rod and reel to slide downward within the L-shaped slot, thereby further pivoting the U-shaped body to indicate a bite. 
 
     
     
       7. The tipping rod and reel holder adapted for ice fishing of  claim 6 , further including a signal member attached to the U-shaped body of the rod and reel holder to signal a fish bite. 
     
     
       8. The tipping rod and reel holder adapted for ice fishing of  claim 7 , wherein the signal member is a flag. 
     
     
       9. The tipping rod and reel holder adapted for ice fishing of  claim 7 , wherein the signal member is a light device activated upon pivoting from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation. 
     
     
       10. The tipping rod and reel holder adapted for ice fishing of  claim 7 , wherein the base section is H-shaped with a center bar portion with the upright support section secured to the center bar portion. 
     
     
       11. The tipping rod and reel holder adapted for ice fishing of  claim 6 , wherein the base section is pivotal from an orientation perpendicular to the upright support section to an orientation parallel thereto. 
     
     
       12. A tipping rod and reel holder adapted for ice fishing comprising:
 a base section secured to an upright support section; 
 a rod and reel holder member slidably secured to the upright support section, the rod and reel holder member including a linear, U-shaped body having an open top, open ends and opposed sidewalls with sidewall top edges extending between the open ends; 
 a first opposed sidewall having a closed, linear, fulcrum slot extending parallel with the top edge thereof; 
 a fastener extending from interior the U-shaped body through the closed, linear, fulcrum slot to slidably fasten the U-shaped body to the upright support section; 
 an L-shaped slot in the second opposed sidewall of the U-shaped body, one leg of the L-shaped slot intersects the top edge of the second opposed sidewall and extending downward therefrom, and the other leg of the L-shaped slot extending parallel with the top edge of the second opposed sidewall; and 
 a signal member attached to the U-shaped body of the rod and reel holder to signal a fish bite; 
 whereby the linear, U-shaped body is sized to accept a handle of a fishing rod therein with the handle parallel with the top edges of the opposed sidewalls, and with a shank of a fishing reel secured to the fishing rod, the shank positioned in the L-shaped slot; 
 whereby the linear, U-shaped body with fishing rod and reel therein is slidably positioned on the fastener secured to the support section to maintain the fishing rod and reel essentially horizontal; 
 and whereby a fish pulling on the line of the fishing rod and reel pivots the U-shaped body with rod and reel therein on the fastener in the fulcrum slot, thus causing the rod and reel to slide downward within the L-shaped slot, thereby further pivoting the U-shaped body to indicate a bite. 
 
     
     
       13. The tipping rod and reel holder adapted for ice fishing of  claim 12 , wherein the signal member is a flag. 
     
     
       14. The tipping rod and reel holder adapted for ice fishing of  claim 12 , wherein the signal member is a light device activated upon pivoting from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation. 
     
     
       15. The tipping rod and reel holder adapted for ice fishing of  claim 12 , wherein the base section is H-shaped with a center bar portion with the upright support section secured to the center bar portion. 
     
     
       16. The tipping rod and reel holder adapted for ice fishing of  claim 12 , wherein the base section is pivotal from an orientation perpendicular to the upright support section to an orientation parallel thereto.